Prison of Memories
by TheToxicInterest
Summary: The moments between them are stuck in his mind… He can't escape the memories, and yet they're not enough. He needs her. He needs to escape this prison. [MalxZoey, one-sided. One-Shot.]


**I've wanted to write some ZoeyxMal for a while, but I could never come up with anything. Hopefully this does the pairing justice, even though it's only one-sided here. The lyrics are from "Snow White Queen" by Evanescence.**

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><p><em>You belong to me<em>

_My snow white queen..._

_Don't scream anymore, my love_

_'Cause all I want is you_

I watch Mike and Zoey from the prison in my mind. It has the same unreal quality of a dream, the same horror of a nightmare, but neither word quite fits how I'm feeling. I imagine this is what being in a coma is like: sensing the world rather than seeing it fully, knowing that it's moving without your input.

Frozen in my place, I am a ghost standing beside them. Anger flairs within my soul, but I still can't move. She looks at him with that thoughtless smile, leaning her head on his shoulder… I see him relaxing as the feeling of love sweeps him up. Mike's anxiety has been diminished since this girl came into our lives. He thinks of her quite often. He dreams of her at times. She influences his emotions, his every other action guided by the thought of _what would make Zoey happy?_

I already held a special kind of hatred for Mike, but it's worse since I experienced Zoey. Pretending to be Mike during _All-Stars,_ I got a taste of what it's like to have her in my grasp. I think of her constantly now. I dream of her the few times I can sleep, and spend the rest of the night keeping busy so I won't think of her. I feel like I was drugged when I wasn't looking, tricked into developing an addiction to the girl with the bloodred hair.

The moments between her and I are stuck in my mind, playing over and over like a movie in a hospital waiting room. Seeing her smile, feeling her hands in mine, watching her glow like the sun at the mere sight of me… I can't escape the memories, and yet they're not enough. And it's _frustrating_ and _stupid_, because some stupid girl shouldn't have the power to affect me like this.

Mike whispers something to her that I don't catch, but it makes her blush slightly. I try not to growl at the disgusting sight―he doesn't _deserve_ her blush. I close my eyes to shut the two of them out, but it doesn't do a thing. I can _sense_ them holding each other, her lips finding his cheek, then his lips… The kiss only lasts a fraction of a second, but it's enough to make me want to fucking scream in their faces.

I want to destroy him. Just bury him in the ground and grab that angel with the sun in her smile and force her to be _mine._ Before my anger can bubble over, I'm mercifully pulled back into prison.

White concrete surrounds me. The floor, the walls, even the bars of my cell are stark and pure like untouched snow. The small area beyond the bars is made of black brick, completely empty except for whoever has play prison guard and babysit the problem child I am.

My current "security guard" is Vito. I actually prefer him to Manitoba in this case, as Vito isn't smart enough to ignore me when I speak to him. After my stint in _All-Stars_, the others aren't taking any chances. At least they didn't think to give me a muzzle or something―my words are always my best weapon.

"Does my existence bother you?" I ask. Vito's eyes are closed, but I know he's not sleeping. "Honestly, does it? I mean, it must hurt to know that a part of you is a criminal."

"You ain't a part of me," he responds, eyes still closed.

I shrug, walking closer to the bars. He sits opposite me, head still tilted down in an infuriatingly casual way. "But we're all just parts of Mike, really. That's it. Just pieces of _his_ life, nothing more."

He grimaces for a moment, but quickly corrects himself to a neutral face.

"Technically, we're not even people… Not in the eyes of the law or anyone else. And of course Mike doesn't see us as people."

I see his fists clench. He tries to cross his arms to hide it.

"How many times have you met a girl―a really amazing, beautiful girl―who you couldn't keep around because _Mike_ didn't like her? Then again, you have terrible taste in women, so I suppose that one is a blessing in disguise."

His eyes are open and glaring at me. "Fuck you."

"You should do what I do when I want someone. I never take no for an answer." And I _won't_ take a no from Zoey when I'm finally let out. My smirk grows wider, seeming to infuriate him more.

"Shut up, Mal, nobody cares."

"_You_ seem to care a lot about what I do… As well you should. My entire existence means that you failed to do your job."

He jumps up from his chair, baring his teeth at me. "Stop fucking talking! I know you're just trying to get in my head! It ain't gonna work!"

"Down, boy!" I snap my fingers as though instructing a dog. "Looks like I'm not the only animal in need of a cage."

He starts gritting his teeth, but he's trying to control his breathing.

"You're so easy to make angry," I say with a shake of my head, as though disappointed. "I'm the one who should be furious. You're entire reason for being created―the very meaning of your existence―was to protect us from being hurt. But who was the one to step forward whenever Mike was bullied? Who was the one to take the blows from our psycho mother? And that's not even mentioning our _other_ family members…"

"Oh, great. Another one of your emo bitch fits." Vito rolls his eyes. "You know you can't do anything right but complain and torture people."

"Being upset about child abuse counts under 'emo bitch fits'? I had no idea. And here I thought it was an important issue." I give him a bitter smile. "Thanks for clearing that up, Vito."

"You aren't upset about it, though," he growls, taking a step towards me. "You just use it to piss me off."

"Fine, then. I'll get away from the subject of our shitty childhood, since it _hurts you_ so much." I smile at him with fake pity, the kind you give a child who's upset they dropped their ice cream. "How about we backtrack to the subject of girls? Zoey is… quite beautiful, in my opinion."

Vito's expression softens slightly with relief. He shrugs. "I dunno. She's a'ight."

"She's not your type, I know, but personally? I think she's _far_ too beautiful for someone like Mike."

"I… Don't know what you mean by that."

I let my crooked smirk grow wider, tilting my head and thinking wistfully of her hopeful, yet strangely sad eyes. "Mike's get-out-of-misery-free card has run out. After the trauma I went through for him, it's about time I get a reward. It's only fair that _I_ get to take something from _Mike_ for once, since he's already stolen my entire life…"

Vito pauses, his eyebrows knitting. He's thinking very hard, analyzing my every word with what little brain power he has. His face falls when he realizes what I'm implying. "You can't touch her, man."

"Because she's the one good thing in Mike's life? That just makes me want her more." I start to envision Zoey in my mind, the way she giggles, the way she moves… I shouldn't be so enthralled by her, but at least Vito can't see my emotion as genuine.

"No," he says slowly, seeming to calm down. "I mean you really _can't_ touch her. Not while we got you locked up here."

My laughter is louder than I intended, echoing across my prison and making the place seem to shake a little. "My desire to hurt Mike is _much_ stronger than your desire to keep me locked up. Besides, keeping me in check is your job… And we both know you're not the best at keeping your word. Don't worry―I'm sure the others won't be too shocked. We're used to you failing us."

"You son of a bitch!" Vito jumps at my cell, trying to grab me through the bars. I take a few steps back, watching him reach for me futilely with one eyebrow raised.

I lift my arms at my sides, smiling in a way I know will infuriate him. "Come on, Vito, I'm right here! What's wrong? Can't reach?"

He growls more swear words. I purposely stand just inches from his grasp, locking my hands behind my back almost coyly. In an act of fury, he reaches for the release button outside of the cell―

He stops. Slowly, he starts shaking his head, though he's still glaring at me. I watch him step away, walking back toward his chair but refusing to sit back down.

"I almost got you," I chuckle.

"I'm tellin' the others."

"No, you won't. Do they need _another_ reason to not trust you?" I tilt my head, as though studying him. "Funny… If I weren't around, you would be the black sheep. _You_ would be the most unwanted. Isn't that right?"

He turns towards me fully. "_Fuck. You._ The others like me, at least. Nobody cares about you anymore."

Images of Zoey play against my mind again. As much as I hate to admit it, I _do_ care about her. And I need this idiot to let me out so I can make her want me back. "If that were true, you wouldn't care if I was locked up or not. You have pretty strong feelings for me, as does Mike."

"Yeah, but they're negative feelings. You probably thrive on that, though, huh?"

I don't answer. I just lean against the wall, looking up from underneath my brow line.

"When I'm finally let out of here," I whisper, "the first thing I'll do is find Zoey. She won't be far, I know―she's always near Mike. But I won't hurt her. I'd never dream of that."

That catches him off guard, but his surprise doesn't last. "Like I said, all you _can_ do is hurt people."

"Maybe Zoey is different…"

"We both know that's bullshit, Mal."

I stare at him quietly. "Maybe I'm this way because I took so much abuse _I_ wasn't made to take."

He blinks a few times, his jaw clenched. He's no doubt suppressing more guilt, and I've got him so close to breaking…

Manitoba ruins it, walking into the security section of the room and tapping Vito on the shoulder.

"Your time is up. I'll watch him now."

I try not to groan, but Vito is obviously relieved. He shoots me one last glare and practically stomps out of the room, slamming the huge metal door shut behind him. Manitoba takes a seat in the guard chair.

"Isn't this a pleasant surprise?" I sneer. Manitoba doesn't respond.

I decide not to waste my breath, turning from him and sitting back down on the concrete floor. I make a point of looking away.

"I heard what you said about Zoey."

His voice surprises me, but I don't even flinch. I keep my eyes locked on the blank white wall so he can't see my expression. "What, worried I might succeed in taking her for myself?"

"Not even a little."

I clench the fist he can't see. "Why so sure?"

"Because you can't break up Zoey and Mike. She's too loyal to leave and he's too stubborn to let her go."

I turn towards Manitoba slowly―for some reason, I can't bring myself to show emotion. My face, my voice, everything is an unsettling monotone. "I'm pretty goddamn stubborn, too."

"I'd wish ya good luck, but you don't deserve it."

"I don't need it either," I say, turning back away and feeling more determined than ever. "Luck is for losers."


End file.
